BY ERICA MARTINEZ
What A Professional Chef Wants You To Know Prior To Grilling With Lighter Fluid
You may have heard that grilling with lighter fluid will ruin your food, but according to Chef Brad Wise, who runs several meat-centric eateries, it’s generally okay to use.
As an expert in Santa Maria-style grilling, Wise says using lighter fluid to light your flame is acceptable because it’ll evaporate as the fire heats up.
Wise says, “You never light up your grill and immediately start cooking — so you've got a built-in grace period […] to allow enough time for the lighter fluid to evaporate."
You’ll know your grill is ready for meat if your wood has burned to embers or if you’re using charcoal if they have burned until they turn white.
If you’re still hesitant to try lighter fluid, Wise recommends using lighter bricks instead — like Big Green Egg’s All Natural Charcoal Starter — to light a fire.